Xiaomi 17 Ultra vs Oppo Find X9 Ultra: camera comparison
If taking great photos with your smartphone is important to you, there are several manufacturers to choose from for the best camera. It’s all well and good, that marketing jargon, but which phone actually takes the best photos? We’ve previously published a very interesting comparison between the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra and the Xiaomi 17 Ultra. The differences were quite significant. Now it’s time to pit two other rivals against each other: the Xiaomi 17 Ultra and the Oppo Find X9 Ultra. We’ve already put both devices through their paces. You can find the Xiaomi 17 Ultra review here and read the Oppo Find X9 Ultra review here, which was recently published online.
In this article, we’ll be looking specifically at the cameras on both models. Xiaomi collaborates with Leica on the camera, whilst Oppo works with Hasselblad. Both are leading camera manufacturers that have lent their names to the smartphone brand. When it comes to zoom, the two devices promise the very best performance, but the cameras themselves are also praised by their respective brands. And separately, as you could read in our reviews, they take excellent photos. But are there any (clear) differences when you compare the two devices?
The camera specifications
The specifications of the two devices do differ from one another. We have listed them below. It is clear that the Oppo’s main camera is much brighter and has more megapixels. The wide-angle lens is wider on the Xiaomi, but has a higher light sensitivity on the Oppo. In addition, the Find X9 Ultra offers an extra periscope telephoto lens, whilst the Xiaomi 17 Ultra offers a variable focal length.
Xiaomi 17 Ultra
- Main camera: 50 megapixels (f/1.7), 1″ sensor, OIS image stabilisation
- Wide-angle camera: 50 megapixels (f/2.2), 1/1.4″ sensor, OIS, 115-degree field of view
- Periscope telephoto: 200 megapixels (f/2.4-3.0), 75-100mm, 1/1.4″ sensor, OIS, 3.2x-4.3x optical zoom with continuous zoom
- Additional lens: 3D ToF for depth
- Selfie camera: 50 megapixels (f/2.2)
Oppo Find X9 Ultra
- Main camera: 200 megapixels (f/1.5), 1/1.12″ sensor, OIS image stabilisation
- Wide-angle camera: 50 megapixels (f/2.0), 1/1.95″ sensor, OIS, 123-degree field of view
- Periscope telephoto: 200 megapixels (f/2.2), 70mm, 1/1.28″ sensor, OIS, 3x optical zoom
- Periscope telephoto: 50 megapixels (f/3.5), 230mm, 1/2.75″ sensor, OIS, 10x optical zoom
- Additional lens: colour spectrum sensor
- Selfie camera: 50 megapixels (f/2.4)
Good to know
We used both the Oppo Find X9 Ultra and the Xiaomi 17 Ultra in automatic mode to take photos. In the case of the Xiaomi, we opted for the colourful Leica Vibrant style. In this article, we’ll focus specifically on the camera. In the reviews linked above, we’ll cover all the other features and performance aspects of the smartphones in detail.
The comparison
Time to pit the two rivals against each other. Which one takes the best photos?
First of all, we took the two smartphones into the woods. On the footpath with the trailer and the back garden on the left of the frame, we can already see major differences. It is clear that the Xiaomi has added extra sharpness to the image. With the Oppo, the image looks a bit calmer, but also less sharp as a result. Also note the differences in the sky; with the Oppo, the treetops are not in focus.
Winner of the first photo: Xiaomi 17 Ultra
2x zoom
In the camera app, you can of course also start zooming in. We’ll start with 2x zoom. This is still captured using the main camera. As it’s the same camera, we see the same points of comparison as in the first photo. This means much greater sharpness in the Xiaomi’s photo and a calmer, less sharp image on the Oppo.
Winner of the second photo: Xiaomi 17 Ultra
3x zoom
We’re starting to repeat ourselves, but at 3x zoom we see the same as in the previous photos. This means greater sharpness with the Xiaomi. Personally, however, we find the green tint on the Oppo slightly more pleasing and calmer. It’s worth noting that the Oppo has 3.0x zoom, whilst the Xiaomi has 3.2x. This is down to the lens used. As a result, you zoom in slightly more with the Xiaomi in this setting.
Winner of the 3rd photo: a draw
Maximum optical zoom
Just as with the 3x zoom, there are also differences in the next zoom setting. With the Oppo, you can use 10x optical zoom, whilst this is 8.6x on the Xiaomi. Both devices take excellent photos in the maximum optical zoom mode. However, the Xiaomi suffers from over-sharpening, which makes the photo slightly less appealing. In contrast, the Oppo makes it look a bit duller.
Winner of the 4th photo: a draw
Wide-angle
We also tested the wide-angle lens on both devices. The Find X9 Ultra narrowly wins here, as it appears slightly sharper, captures shadows with slightly less harshness, and does a better job of capturing the sky with the treetops. This doesn’t mean the Xiaomi takes poor photos, however; on the contrary.
Winner of the 5th photo: Oppo Find X9 Ultra
Other photos
We took even more photos with the two smartphones. Like the one below. The differences are barely noticeable and both photos are beautifully captured. We find the bokeh, or the blurring of the depth of field, more pleasing on the Oppo. We also noted this in the review, that this is a real strength of the Oppo.
Winner of the 6th photo: a draw
We see a bigger difference in the photo above. A wooded area with a large lake. Here, the Xiaomi wins. The (warmer) colours really pop off the screen and it looks less grey than the Oppo’s shot. There’s also more texture visible in the water. The difference is particularly noticeable when you view both photos enlarged on a computer screen, as the Oppo certainly doesn’t take a bad snap.
Winner of the 7th photo: Xiaomi 17 Ultra
The eighth photo is a bit trickier for both devices. In the forest, there is an open grassy area with the bright sun shining down on it. The Oppo captures this more naturally than the Xiaomi. The 17 Ultra produces a very yellow glow, which isn’t how it actually looked. A tricky challenge for both models, but you’re entitled to expect a bit more when you’re paying that much for a phone.
Winner of the 8th photo: Oppo Find X9 Ultra
The photo of the path in the woods is an excellent opportunity to test the power of the smartphone camera. On this sunny day, we see two beautiful photos. The Xiaomi is more colourful here, but the Oppo is more true to life. Which one you find the most beautiful is mainly a matter of personal preference.
Winner of the 9th photo: a draw
The tenth photo was taken from the same spot as the photo above, using maximum optical zoom. The Xiaomi again applies (too much) sharpness here, but that does make the photo more usable than the Oppo’s. The Oppo Find X9 Ultra is more natural in terms of colours.
Winner of the 10th photo: a draw
Night-time
We also compared the two phones under various conditions during the hours of darkness. First up is the photo of the Albert Heijn. It looks very cool on the Oppo, whilst the Xiaomi is much warmer. The detail in the background is also better on the Xiaomi. The Oppo is slightly sharper in the foreground, though.
Winner of the 11th photo: Xiaomi 17 Ultra
In this photo, we see the church, where the quality is very similar between the two. We do, however, see some difference in how the artificial light is captured, with circles visible around the lamppost on the Oppo. The fact that there is little else to distinguish the photos is also evident in many other photos we took with the smartphones.
Winner of the 12th photo: Xiaomi 17 Ultra
Night 2x zoom
We took the photo below using 2x zoom. Once again, the images are excellent, with the Oppo appearing slightly sharper, but the lamppost coming into its own just a little better on the Xiaomi.
Winner of the 13th photo: a draw
Night 3x zoom
What about the differences with the 3x zoom in the dark, where the Xiaomi is set to 3.2x zoom? The photos are very nice here too, and we don’t see any major differences. We find the Oppo a fraction better, which is mainly evident in the colour of the lamppost itself, but the differences are incredibly small.
Winner of the 14th photo: a draw
Night 10x zoom
If we zoom in further, we see clear differences. The Oppo is slightly darker, the Xiaomi looks a bit warmer. But we can’t say that one is better than the other, as the Oppo is slightly more realistic in terms of how it actually was. Most people will probably find the Xiaomi more appealing because of the warmth the photo conveys. As far as we’re concerned, it’s a draw.
Winner of the 15th photo: a draw
Another photo taken in the dark, and once again the differences are very small. The arches with lights are clearly captured better than the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra did in the previous comparison. Both devices take very good photos. A small detail: the bench visible through the display case window is just slightly more visible on the Xiaomi, but this difference is minuscule.
Winner of the 16th photo: a draw
The furniture shop with its many different light sources is captured perfectly by both the Xiaomi and the Oppo. If we’re going to nitpick: the black in, for example, the sign at the front is just a touch deeper and more beautiful. It’s starting to get a bit boring, but it’s a draw.
Winner of the 17th photo: a draw
Will we see major differences in the next photo? No, unfortunately. Although, we do see a few differences. The neon lighting at the petrol station is captured perfectly by both devices. With the Oppo, we see the power of the Find X9 Ultra once again; the more beautiful depth of field. This is reflected in the blurring of the foreground. That gives the photo just a little more dynamism. Xiaomi performs just a little better with the 17 Ultra when it comes to the deeper red in the petrol station’s lighting. Xiaomi also captures the details in the flag slightly better. But here too, it’s a draw.
Winner of the 18th photo: a draw
Finally, the last photo in this major camera comparison. A close-up of the petrol station using 3x zoom (3.2x on the Xiaomi). Again, both are very good photos with no major differences. However, the Oppo does show its strengths here; the blue glow around the neon lighting is less ‘glowing’ here than on the Xiaomi. It is also ‘less white’ around the pumps themselves.
Winner of the 19th photo: Oppo Find X9 Ultra
Which camera is the best?
As you can see, the difference is by no means always obvious. We took dozens of photos to make a proper comparison. It’s only when you place the two devices side by side that you (sometimes) see more significant differences. On their own, both the Xiaomi 17 Ultra and the Oppo Find X9 Ultra are perfectly capable of taking very good photos. We can conclude that you won’t go wrong with either of these two. However, the Xiaomi does stand out more often, as the photos are more visually appealing and often slightly sharper. We particularly appreciate the Oppo Find X9 Ultra for its more photographic approach, with better use of depth of field and more attractive bokeh.
Final score:
- Xiaomi 17 Ultra: 5x
- Oppo Find X9 Ultra: 3x
- Draw: 11x
To find out how the smartphones perform in other areas, it’s best to read the full review. In short, choose the Oppo for better battery life and the Xiaomi for the best speaker. In terms of design, we think both are very attractive devices, but the Oppo offers a better grip. The Xiaomi is currently hundreds of euros cheaper, which could make the choice a lot easier.
Want to try it out for yourself?
You can buy the Xiaomi 17 Ultra from Belsimpel, Mobiel, MediaMarkt, Bol.comand Coolblue.
The Oppo Find X9 Ultra is available from Belsimpel, Mobiel, MediaMarkt, Coolblue and the mobile providers KPN and Odido.
